


Going Once, Going Twice

by heathtrash



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Auction, Cats, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Fireside Confessions, Fluff, Mistletoe, Modern AU, New Year, Only One Bed, Only one blanket, Remote Cabin, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Ugly Holiday Sweaters, gift shopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:55:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27894175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heathtrash/pseuds/heathtrash
Summary: Archaeology researcher Hecate Hardbroom is after a particular item in a Christmas charity auction, but a rival from her past, Pippa Pentangle, unexpectedly starts bidding against her. In the aftermath, Hecate finds herself having to get in contact with Pippa once again, and finds Pippa is not quite the person she expected - and that she is hopelessly attracted to her.Just a little tropey, wildly unrealistic Christmassy romcom (summary style fic) for the Hicsqueak Hallmark Headcanon Challenge.
Relationships: Hardbroom/Pentangle (Worst Witch)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 46
Collections: The Worst Witch Winter Warmers 2020





	Going Once, Going Twice

**Author's Note:**

> this was intended to be a short summary, but ended up,,, being a longer summary with some slightly more detailed scenes. i tried rewriting it shorter but i felt dissatisfied with it and like i wanted something more, but didn't want to get tied down into another multichapter! written mostly for the [Hicsqueak Hallmark Headcanon Challenge](https://twtd11.tumblr.com/post/636320044807274496/hicsqueak-hallmark-headcanon-challenge-this-year) but fits The Worst Witch Winter Warmers 2020 too!

Hecate Hardbroom is sitting at the very front row of an auction hall, stiff as a board, eyes fixed on the cabinet on the pedestal. The wool coat over the back of her chair is still damp with snow. The auction she is waiting for is a priceless artefact from the Fourth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt—and is the key to unlocking the next stage of the puzzle of her thesis for the Institute for Archaeological History. She just has to save the artefact from falling into another obnoxious private collector’s possession, where it would only rot as an _objet d’art_ , its story lost. She was lucky that the present owner decided to donate it to this Christmas charity auction.

The lot number of the piece she already thinks of as hers is called. Hecate senses a stir in the assembled bidders. It seems she has competition—but no matter. Her research grant is rather generous, and she is not above dipping into her modest savings for the sake of liberating a piece of history.

The bidding begins. Casual bidders who realise quickly that they are out of their depth drop away, and there are only two other bidders who seem interested. Hecate is confident she will win. She bids with subtle raises of her eyebrows or by unfurling her long index finger from her tight fists balled in her lap. She is in control, and she knows it.

One of the bidders is a late middle-aged gentleman a few seats down from her. By his posture and dress, Hecate estimates he is the sort looking for something nice to spend his pension on. She has seen his like before, and he will bow out when he realises that someone else has a more avid interest. It is a while before she notices the other person who is bidding against her—a blonde woman, in an expensive suit, by the way it fits, and a pink silk cravat tucked into her open shirt collar. She is undoubtedly of the upper crust of society—exactly the kind of person that Hecate resents. The woman catches her eye, as Hecate realises she has been staring a little too long. She almost forgets to place her next bid—but gives a sharp nod to the auctioneer in time.

There is something about the woman that is uncomfortably familiar—and gradually it dawns on Hecate that it is none other than a woman who she has not seen for a good decade or two—Pippa Pentangle, whom she had snubbed one time during a museum exhibition opening she had worked on as a precocious undergraduate, not knowing she was the daughter of one of the patrons of the museum— _not_ someone you want to scoff at for her ignorance of the Early Dynastic Period.

So what could _she_ possibly want with this archaeological find? From the little Hecate can remember of their conversation, she doesn’t even work in the antiquities field.

Hecate bids more furiously than before, and Pippa reacts in turn. The tension in the room becomes tangible—and Hecate can feel the air in her lungs start to become thick as water. The older man backs down as the bidding starts to fire out across the room. The auctioneer is baffled by the heightened emotions of the two women, but it is clear that this is no longer about the item. 

“Twenty-thousand,” Pippa’s cool voice rings out.

Hecate feels all her fight drain away and is forced to concede. She does not have that kind of funding, and Pippa knows it. The auctioneer looks to her, but Hecate does not make eye contact. The gavel strikes the block.

Hecate quietly slips out. She sails through the hallways to the exit, not wanting to spend another moment near the woman who knocked her off her high horse. She deserves the humiliation—she had been elitist in her younger years, and this is merely her comeuppance for her past. She is descending the stone steps to the streets of London when she realises she is out in the snow in nothing but a thin shirt and trousers, and has left her coat inside. 

The coat is an acceptable loss. She cannot go back for it now without looking ever more the fool, and heads for her car instead. But of course, she has left her keys in her coat pocket. However, mercifully she has her phone, and calls her friend Dimity to pick her up.

Dimity is in the area, fortunately, doing her Christmas shopping, and swings by in her car. Just as she folds her tall form into the car, Hecate sees Pippa dashing down the steps outside the auction house with her coat, and urges Dimity to drive off. They leave Pippa in the exhaust fumes, downcast and clinging to Hecate’s coat.

Dimity takes her to the shopping centre, where they warm up with a syrupy sweet Christmas-themed coffee. Hecate derides the commercialisation and frippery of the season’s gaudy decorations as she tags along with Dimity while she does her gift shopping. Dimity asks her pointedly about the attractive woman they left standing on the pavement, and Hecate begrudgingly relates the ugly history. She is struck again by her guilt at how she treated Pippa in the past, and Dimity gives a gentle suggestion that she should try apologising, especially since she was last seen holding her coat. Hecate doesn’t disagree. She buys a small gift of a snow globe tree ornament that she hopes will serve to soften her apology to Pippa, though she has no idea how she is going to find her again.

* * *

Meanwhile, Pippa has returned to her fancy townhouse with Hecate’s coat. Her girlfriend is out on another late evening on a shoot, probably being the most stunning model there as usual, so Pippa orders in food for herself and settles in with her cat Pepper to watch the latest trashy Christmas romcom. 

Something in the film reminds of her past encounter with Hecate, and she is so distracted that she has to turn it off—while she remembers Hecate was rather snobbish to her, she had been embarrassed by the way her father had stepped in and had the security guards throw her out. Pippa had been fascinated by the way that Hecate had started to explain the intricacies of the chronology of Ancient Egypt to her. That was how her interest in the topic had all begun, and was why she was at that auction today.

Pippa goes through Hecate’s coat, even though she knows she shouldn’t. There is a tear on the inner lining, which she repairs with a needle and thread almost invisibly. As a fashion designer, she doesn’t usually get to do this kind of menial repair work, but she has a passion for sewing in all forms. The thought of the woman who introduced her to the fascinating world of ancient history walking around with a torn coat just makes her feel sad. 

In the process of sewing, she empties the pockets—and finds a bunch of keys, a year planner, and a small metal case of business cards, showing that Hecate is a researcher associated with the archaeological institute that has its offices not too far from her. Pippa takes one of the cards and notices there is a mobile number as well as an office number. She decides to call tomorrow to invite Hecate over after the artefact has been delivered by courier.

* * *

Hecate is surprised to receive Pippa’s call—she answers it hoping that it is the auction house telling her about her coat being handed in. Pippa’s peppy invitation catches her off-guard, and without meaning to, she finds herself agreeing to visit her that afternoon for the return of her coat and to view the artefact she thought she would never get to see in person. It is a decent offer, though Hecate wonders if there is some kind of ulterior motive, given their prickly history.

She crams herself into a busy tube of Christmas shoppers to make the journey to Pippa’s home—and finds herself unloaded after a tense journey out into a lavish part of town quite familiar to her, within walking distance of her office. She is let into the building by the guard standing outside, and wonders just what sort of person Pippa Pentangle is after all these years. 

The townhouse is ultra modern, decorated for Christmas—but the sort of Christmas one might see in a posh department store. She immediately is intimidated by how much wealthier Pippa is than she, and meekly accepts Pippa’s hospitality of a cup of tea, wondering just how much the tea cup she is holding might even cost. Awkwardness overwhelms her and she starts a stammered apology, giving the humble gift that now seems quite pitiful when placed on the coffee table of Pippa’s extravagant, probably professionally decorated house.

Pippa’s face warms to see the snow globe ornament. It turns out she had never held much resentment towards Hecate over the years, and Hecate is flattered that Pippa became something of a hobbyist in Ancient Egyptian history because of her. Pippa is apologetic in turn about her over-enthusiasm at the auction—“I don’t like to lose”—and about her father getting her thrown out of that museum exhibition, but Hecate manages to make her laugh with a story about one of the museum security guards who developed a bit of a crush on her on subsequent visits following the incident.

Hecate takes the opportunity to covertly gaze at Pippa while she finds a place to hang the snow globe on her tree. Yesterday she had not fully recognised just how attractive Pippa had become—she is now wearing a waistcoat and short-sleeved shirt open at the neck, and immaculately tailored trousers. Her hair is tied back into a graceful chignon Hecate could not hope to achieve in her wildest dreams. She almost chokes on her tea when Pippa catches her staring.

Pippa shows Hecate to the room where she has put the artefact on display, and Hecate takes copious notes for her thesis. Pippa tells her that she is welcome to visit as often as she likes—“even on Christmas Day, if it takes your fancy”. It takes her by surprise, for while it is expected for a musty academic like herself to have no plans for Christmas, surely someone like Pippa would have at least someone in her life who would be willing to spend time with her at Christmas. But it is a week off now, and Hecate supposes that Pippa will find a better offer by then. She leaves with a tentative request to see the artefact again in a few days once she has had a chance to write up her notes.

* * *

The very next day, Hecate is at home, bent over her desk with her cat Morgana sitting on her feet, when she receives a frantic call from Pippa. Her girlfriend has just broken up with her and she is utterly distraught. Hecate feels out of her depth when it comes to emotional supporting someone this upset, but says that Pippa is welcome to come over if she wants, as long as she does not mind Hecate working.

Pippa turns up looking cold and dishevelled, with a flurry of snow on her shoulders and in her hair. Hecate brings her up to her flat for a hot drink and warm blanket, and puts on the first film she can see on Netflix. It’s the same Christmas romcom Pippa had been watching the other day. Hecate realises the subject of the film a little too late and asks if Pippa is all right to watch it. Pippa says it’s fine, and Hecate wonders how she personally will survive such tooth-rotting fluff. 

At some point Hecate forgets she is meant to be doing work and is desperately distracted by how close they are sitting on the sofa. The tension on screen mirrors the tension of the room, and the lead characters resemble the both of them a little too well. Hecate shivers, and Pippa puts the blanket over her as well—to Hecate’s self-consciousness, for sharing a blanket seems like too much of an intimacy for their level of acquaintance. Morgana jumps up on Hecate’s lap, and Pippa is enchanted by her. She fusses her, leaving Hecate quite pink in the ears.

Pippa stays all afternoon, venting about how awful her girlfriend has been to her for the past few months and about the various affairs that have gone on. Hecate cannot believe that anyone would cheat on such a lovely person. Pippa invites her out to dinner to thank her for her kindness, but Hecate declines politely, using work as an excuse. Pippa makes her agree to dinner on another day after she is ready to see the artefact again. At the door, she touches Hecate’s arm and kisses her cheek before leaving. Hecate is left in shock, wildly theorising whether the act is merely a farewell or if it means something more.

* * *

It is Christmas Eve by the time Hecate receives Pippa’s text message asking her if she is ready to come over, with a cutesy anatomically incorrect sparkling heart emoji that makes Hecate’s own anatomically correct heart beat just a little faster. Hecate agrees to go over, and it is only then, when pulling on her coat, that she notices that the tear in the lining has been repaired. She realises Pippa did that _for her_ , and is confused by her feelings.

Pippa greets her at the door in one of her many luxuriously tailored outfits, causing Hecate to blush quite obviously and drop the satchel she is carrying. Graciously, Pippa helps her to pick it up and refrains from making any kind of comment.

Pippa lets Hecate work in the room with the artefact at a desk that seems to have been brought in especially, while Pippa occupies an armchair in another corner behind her and sketches on a tablet. Hecate has brought her laptop this time, and types away in the silence, keenly aware of Pippa behind her, feeling the back of her neck grow quite hot as she realises that Pippa could be watching her right at that very moment.

They both work until Hecate feels something wind around her leg—and realises that the cat is not Morgana, remembering where she is. Pippa scoops up the friendly cat and introduces him to her as Pepper, before saying that he’s not technically allowed in that room. They both agree that they have worked long enough, and Pippa reminds her that they are going out and should get ready.

Pippa goes to change for dinner and invites Hecate to look at her wardrobe while she waits, and to “pick out anything she likes”, mentioning the “perks of knowing a fashion designer”. Hecate is left alone in the vast walk-in closet, overwhelmed by the sea of clothes around her. She realises that she never did ask Pippa what her profession was—just that she knew she was in some creative field—and is astonished at all the wondrous things Pippa has either made herself, marked with the Pentangle fashion label, or has received from fellow designers.

Hecate browses for a little while, timid as she notices how shabby she must look to Pippa, and despairs over the past outfit choices that she has inadvertently subjected Pippa’s trained eye to. She finds a blue and black brocade dress that she thinks could be made of silk—she is not used to wearing dresses quite this nice, and never really has occasion to dress so formally, other than weddings—but she imagines the restaurant Pippa is taking her to is going to be quite fancy. She wonders if the £50 she had taken out of the ATM on the way will be even enough to cover her part of the bill.

Pippa emerges from the other room in a truly exquisite dark pink tuxedo—while Hecate has never been a fan of pink, it suits Pippa perfectly. The trousers and black-lapelled jacket look as though they are made for her—which of course, they are, Hecate admonishes herself—and the shirt has a textured sheen to the fabric that catches the light in geometric patterns. At her throat is a simple black bow tie, giving the whole outfit a level of polish that makes Hecate unable to think for a moment.

Pippa brightens to see the dress in Hecate’s hands and encourages her to try it on, stepping out to give her privacy to change. In a rare show of self-appreciation, Hecate admires how stunning it is in one of the floor-length mirrors. Though she would never in a century opt to buy such a beautiful garment for herself, she will allow herself one night of feeling luxurious—one night in Pippa’s world.

Hecate opens the door to where Pippa is and asks blushingly if she can help her with the zip. Pippa’s fingers gently ease it up, and she smooths the fabric over Hecate’s shoulders in a way that makes Hecate shiver. Pippa finds her some comfortable heels that match the aesthetic.

With an approving smile, Pippa asks if she can style Hecate’s hair. Hecate is hesitant but finds herself agreeing, and sits down in front of the softly lit mirror in Pippa’s dressing room. She closes her eyes as Pippa takes down her hair from its tight practical bun and combs it out, and then watches as Pippa crafts something spectacular from her dull hair, applying some product as she goes, to give it life and movement.

“It takes quite a bit of magic to make _me_ look almost beautiful,” Hecate says, actually feeling a little emotional as she gently touches the elegant chignon Pippa has coaxed her hair into.

“You’re already beautiful.” Pippa’s eyes sparkle as she looks over her, and offers her a hand to guide her up. 

Hecate slips her hand into Pippa’s—and Pippa’s fingertips caress her palm ever so slightly. For a wild moment, Hecate is taken by the idea that Pippa is going to kiss her, but a beat passes, and instead she picks up her phone to organise them a taxi to take them to the restaurant. Hecate should know better than to dream.

The restaurant is alarmingly ostentatious. Hecate is mortified at her own ignorance of Pippa’s fame when a well-dressed lesbian couple approach them, before they have even sat down, to take a selfie with her and gush about her latest ready-to-wear collection. They order, and the waitress replies to all of Hecate’s profuse thanks with, “of course,” making Hecate feel as though she is two inches high. 

As they eat, a live pianist plays a mixture of popular and traditional Christmas songs in a tasteful, slow medley. Hecate keeps accidentally catching Pippa’s eye across the table and every time she does so, Pippa smiles coyly. Hecate is not sure whether this could be considered a date, but it certainly feels like one—but she is keenly aware that Pippa has only recently parted from her girlfriend. Pippa insists on paying, and Hecate thinks it would be impolite to disagree and does not want to cause a scene.

Pippa asks her back for a nightcap—it _is_ Christmas Eve, after all—and they talk for hours into the night to the intimate sound of a jazz playlist. Perhaps it is the whisky, but Hecate finds herself loosening up as they both share stories and secrets and find increasingly casual sitting positions. They edge slowly closer together until Pippa is close enough to put her arm around the back of the sofa by Hecate’s neck, and traces her fingers across Hecate’s nape in a way Hecate can barely resist.

At some point, Pippa makes a comment about not wanting to wake up on Christmas Day alone, and asks if Hecate would stay the night. Hecate makes a comment on the comfort of her sofa, but Pippa grabs her hand and draws her to her feet. She points above them to a bunch of mistletoe.

“Tell me you don’t feel anything for me, and I’ll stop—whatever this is,” Pippa says earnestly, her golden brown eyes gazing up at Hecate.

“Please— don’t stop,” Hecate murmurs, already feeling lost to Pippa’s charms.

They first brush their lips softly together, and then sink into a kiss that makes Hecate giddy. Pippa breaks it off first, and rests her head against Hecate’s shoulder. Hecate holds her, stroking the back of her hair. The Christmas tree lights twinkle gently.

Pippa finds Hecate a nightgown, and Hecate wordlessly agrees that they should undress in separate rooms—Pippa seems a little muted since they kissed, and Hecate wonders if they are doing the right thing. But when they see each other again, they find themselves kissing once more, falling against the edge of the bed in their eagerness and laughing as they tumble back onto the duvet.

Hecate is careful, respecting that Pippa is still vulnerable, and lets Pippa take the lead. They slip under the covers, and gentle touches turn into more kissing—but Pippa seems mostly like she just wants to be held, safely nestled against Hecate. Hecate puts her arm over Pippa and draws her close, and they fall asleep just so.

* * *

In the morning, Hecate awakes to find Pippa’s cat Pepper swishing his tail in her face. She is still holding Pippa as close as they had been last night, and hopes that Pippa does not regret anything they did. She waits until Pippa stirs awake, not wanting her to wake up alone. 

Pippa turns over and smiles sleepily at Hecate. She looks angelic with her hair tousled from sleep.

“Merry Christmas, Pippa,” Hecate says, stroking her face softly.

Pippa says it back, nose scrunching as she grins, and she rolls out of bed. She pads over to her en-suite and points Hecate to a secondary bathroom down the hall.

They emerge from their showers, their hair loose and damp, dressed in fluffy bathrobes. Pippa finds Hecate a festive fair isle jumper, dressing herself in one just like it. Hecate finds it quite endearing that they match, and hopes that Pippa feels the same way.

Neither of them has a present for each other, but Pippa opens a few of her many presents from colleagues and invites Hecate to help her unwrap some. While Pippa is flattered by the more expensive gifts, she admits to Hecate that most of them are from people who want something from her, and that she ends up donating electronic goods to local schools or homeless shelters. She leaves many of the gifts addressed from companies still wrapped.

Pippa has nothing Hecate would call festive fare in her fridge, since her ex-girlfriend had been meant to order their food last week and neglected to do so. Hecate suggests that they go to hers, since she usually makes a small Christmas lunch for herself from her mother’s recipes. She can sense Pippa salivating as she describes the food, so makes an executive decision. Pippa does not need much convincing. They coax Pepper into Pippa’s rather nice car, and Pippa drives them all across town to Hecate’s flat. 

Morgana has already finished the food in her automatic feeder and looks accusingly at Pippa and the new cat in her arms as Hecate unlocks the door. After a little while, Morgana eventually gives in and allows Pepper to approach and bunt his head against her.

Pippa puts a Christmassy playlist on while Hecate organises the food, rolling up her sleeves and preparing the apple and chestnuts for the nut roast. Hecate allows Pippa to assist and they have a romantic moment as Hecate helps Pippa into an apron. When everything is in the oven, Pippa strokes her finger along Hecate’s jaw and they melt into a kiss. 

They end up cuddling on the sofa after lunch and watching another Christmas romcom. Pippa dozes off against Hecate’s chest during the film, but Hecate wakes her with a soft forehead kiss before the end, so she can see the sentimental bit Hecate has a feeling she will enjoy. Hecate is right, and feels her heart skip when she sees Pippa’s eyes fill with happy tears.

* * *

Pippa leaves on Boxing Day to drive down to her mother’s in Sevenoaks, and Hecate agrees to look after Pepper. A day passes without even a text, and Hecate wonders whether that was it—whether Pippa will ever want to see her again. It really felt like they had something special, but Hecate supposes that not everything that precious is meant to be.

Hecate plunges herself into work to distract herself, but all she can think about is all the intimate moments she has shared with Pippa. She gets a call from an unknown number, and snatches up her phone at once. It’s Pippa—almost immediately after arriving, her phone suffered a nasty fate with her well-meaning young niece who put it on a tray and baked it in the oven with cookies for her favourite aunt. Pippa is frantic and apologetic, but Hecate calms her down and asks her how everything is going, despite the loss of her phone. She is borrowing her sister’s phone for this call and will have to get a new one when she returns to London. Hecate starts to tell her about how the cats are getting on, and that they have taken to cuddling and taking turns to distract her while she works. Pippa interrupts her, and says she has to go, but that she misses her and the cats. As the call disconnects, Hecate feels the sudden urge to cry.

* * *

A day later, Pippa makes the lonely drive back up to London, realising on the way that she had forgotten all about the New Year’s holiday she had booked for her and her ex-girlfriend. The flight is for tomorrow, so it would be impossible to get a refund on the chalet or the flights with this short notice. She can spare the money, but it seems a waste—and she hopes that Hecate might want to go with her. It’s ridiculous, she knows, to assume that Hecate would want to join her, but maybe it was worth the risk.

She stops by Hecate’s flat first. All she can think about is kissing Hecate’s lips, but she manages to get through about three lines of small talk before she trails off—and steps into Hecate’s space to cup her cheek and kiss her. Hecate responds—clearly surprised, but welcoming the kiss—she warmly kisses back, and Pippa can feel Hecate’s fingertips brush over her neck and sink into the hair gathered into her low ponytail.

Pippa does not withdraw, even as Hecate puts her hand on her shoulder to stabilise herself—until at last she feels a little light-headed. In the heat of the moment, she asks Hecate if she wants to fly with her to Switzerland tomorrow and stay at a chalet over the New Year. Hecate looks taken aback, and Pippa thinks it is too much, too soon. Deciding that honesty is the best policy, Pippa comes clean and explains that the holiday was meant for her and her ex. Hecate’s silence worries her. She asks Hecate if she has scared her off, but Hecate emphatically reassures her that that is not the case, and smiles shyly as she accepts Pippa’s offer.

“I’m so glad that I decided to go to that auction,” Pippa says as she muses on how lucky she is to have found someone who seems to truly care about her.

“As am I,” Hecate responds warmly.

* * *

Their stay at the chalet is nothing short of magical. They take Morgana and Pepper along, since neither can bear to leave them behind. It snows almost every day. The food is delicious, the views over the mountains are Christmas card-perfect, and the nearby village is lit with festive lights that glow gently in the dark afternoons as they explore the shops for souvenirs. 

Pippa playfully scolds Hecate for bringing her work laptop—Hecate explains that she had been still unsure when she was packing where they stood and had wondered if Pippa might have only meant to offer the holiday to her as a friend. It sounds silly to Hecate now that she says it out loud. Pippa laughs and pins her to the sofa playfully and they make out.

They go skiing one day, and though Hecate has never been before, she loves how freeing it feels—but moreso she loves seeing Pippa so happy. Pippa is not the best skier, but she laughs when she falls down and Hecate is honoured that she can be the one to help her up. After, they sink into the warmth of a private hot spring. Hecate gazes adoringly at Pippa through the steam. She never wants this holiday to end.

On New Year’s Eve, they snuggle by the fireplace with cheese fondue and some smooth jazz and watch their cats coil up together while they talk about their dreams for the future. The power goes out and they continue the evening by candlelight. At midnight by Hecate’s watch, Hecate softly says, “Happy New Year,” and kisses Pippa.

“I hope next year will bring us even closer,” Pippa responds. She trails her fingers along Hecate’s collarbone.

“That is my wish for the new year, too,” Hecate whispers—she knows that Pippa has only just been dumped by her ex-girlfriend, but she cannot hold it back any longer—“because I love you.” 

There is a moment when Hecate wonders if she has made a dreadful mistake and ruined the whole thing. Pippa’s eyes shine with tears. “I love you too,” Pippa confesses. “I’ve been hoping and waiting for you to say it first—I didn’t want to push you into anything too fast.”

They both laugh at what useless lesbians they are. Both are exhausted, so they curl up in bed with their cats. Hecate had never thought that she would find such a romantic love in her life, but feels blessed that she has found it at last.

* * *

_Post-credits montage_

Hecate is moving boxes of her things into Pippa’s townhouse. “It’s closer to your workplace,” Pippa reasons.

Pippa designs an entire wardrobe of clothes for Hecate after she finds Hecate admiring her work.

Next December, Hecate’s thesis on the artefact is published. Pippa comes to the conference presentation of her groundbreaking new paper, and somehow the paparazzi find out about it. Photos of Pippa Pentangle, the famous fashion designer, end up all over the internet, with her “tall, dark, mysterious new girlfriend”. 

Pippa’s ex calls her up to ask her out for dinner and a new start. Pippa says no.

Pippa goes out to dinner with Hecate instead to a quiet restaurant, where the press won’t find them. Their engagement rings twinkle as they raise their champagne glasses to their future.


End file.
